Hong Kong's Jumbo Floating Restaurant Towed away

Jumbo Floating Restaurant

Hong Kong's iconic Jumbo Floating Restaurant has been towed away from its Aberdeen Harbour home after 46 years.

It was opened in 1976 by the late casino tycoon Stanley Ho and reportedly cost more than US$3.8 million to build.

The restaurant was styled like a Chinese imperial palace and was known for Cantonese and seafood dishes.

It welcomed over 30 million guests before it closed in 2020 due to the pandemic.

The restaurant drew famous visitors from around the world.  Queen Elizabeth II and Tom Cruise have been here.

The pandemic forced it to close in 2020 and its operators could not find new owners or afford the huge upkeep costs. Plans to relocate it at Ocean Park also fell through.

Tugboats moved the restaurant outside of Hong Kong on Tuesday.  However, the restaurant's kitchen section remains in Aberdeen after it partially sank two weeks before the move.

It is unclear where Jumbo will berth next.  Its parent company has plans to move it to a lower-cost site where maintenance could still be conducted.